Flame Retardants in Your Food

A recent study showed that common foods like rainbow trout, Atlantic salmon, sausage, butter, cheese, and milk are sources of toxic flame retardants, known as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), that find their way into humans.

While foods are an alarming source of flame retardants, they are not alone. Furniture, especially mattresses, are sprayed with flame retardants that appear to off-gas for years. Some of the virtually odorless fire retardants used on mattresses have even been linked to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in some studies.

Even in small quantities, some of the gases emitted from flame retardants have been found to interrupt the transfer of nervous impulses from the brain to the heart and lungs, effectively shutting down the central nervous system. Not surprising when you know that some of the gases emitted from flame retardants are considered more than one thousand times more toxic than carbon monoxide.

5. Choose natural furniture as much as possible since PBDEs are often sprayed on sofas, chairs, and other furniture. Furniture made with natural fabrics are becoming more common and more cost-effective.

6. Eat a diet high in fiber. Fiber binds to many toxins to eliminate them from your body.

7. Drink plenty of water to help your kidneys flush out toxins.

8. Limit your meat consumption. Chemicals become more concentrated as they find their way up the food chain. If you eat meat, choose organic as much as possible.

9. Write or call your federal and state/provincial government authorities asking them for tighter controls on harmful chemicals like PBDEs. It is time for the US Food and Drug Administration, Health Canada, and other agencies worldwide to wake up and smell the chemicals.